Histology

Epithelial tissues

Prof.Dr.Carmen Lăcrămioara Zamfir

Epithelial tissues
Epithelial tissue - one of the 4 basic tissues, together with connective,muscle
and nervous tissues.
Basic tissue-collection of cells of similar type that interact with the extracellular
substances and are specialized to perform one or more functions.
Each basic tissue is present, in different proportion, in the organs which will form
the human body

HISTOGENESIS OF THE EPITHELIAL TISSUES

Epithelium can arise from ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm- the 3

embrionic germ layers
Ectoderm-epidermis, hair, nails
-lining of nasal cavities, nasal sinuses, mouth, anal canal
Endoderm-epithelium of the posterior 1/3 of the tongue, pharynx, Eustachian
tube, larynx,trachea, gastrointestinal tract, urinary bladder, urethra
Mesoderm-lining of blood and lymphatic vessels, joint cavities, ureter, genital
ducts
Epithelial tissues
Epithelial tissue- functions as an interface between different structures
-continous sheets packet tightly together
-mediates numerous activities: absorbtion
secretion
selective diffusion
physical protection
-it has limited intercellular spaces or matrix
-avascular, nutritients move through diffusion
-basement membrane adheres it to the connective tissue
Epithelial tissues
Cell attachments

Neighbouring epithelial cells are connected and their membranes are

kept together by distinct attachments or junctions.

These junctions also serve to anchor microfilamnts and intermediate filaments

belonging to cytoskeleton , stabilizing the cellular conglomerat.

Junctional complexes are different depending on their: -structure

-epithelial location
Epithelial tissues
1.Junctional complexes of the lateral domain

Terminal bars-along the apical, lateral interfaces of the epithelial cells

-specialized areas called the junctional complex

-junctions facilitate an intimal contact between the epithelial cells

-there are 3 types of junctional complexes –occluding junctions

-anchoring junctions
-communicating junctions
Epithelial tissues
Occluding junctions are represented by a unique
type of junction
ZONULA OCCLUDENS(tight junctions)

- near the free surface of the cell

- creates an occluding region between the apices of 2
adjacent cells
- foreign substances can not pass between the cells,
through the intercellular spaces
- It separates the apical domain from basocellular
membrane domains,preventing the migration of
transmembrane proteins
- it has 3 groups of transmembranary proteins(occludin,
claudins and jonctional adhesion molecules-JAM)
- the content of the apical domain is released through
exocytosis and the most abundent secretion occurs at
the level of basolateral domain
- -prevents the diffusion of substances across an
epithelial barrier using the interellular
spaces(paracellular pathway)
Epithelial tissues
Anchoring junctions- 2 types:
ZONULA ADHERENS and MACULA ADHERENS
(desmosomes)

ZONULA ADHERENS

-adhering zone that surrounds the apex of an epithelial

cell, immediately beneath the zonula occludens
-is associated with an actin filament network
-its plaques contain 2 actin binding proteins- alpha
actinin and vinculin
-E-cadherin (ACAM- adherens cell adhesion molecule)
is a transmembranar glyxoprotein that linked actin
-ACAM is active in the presence of calcium ions-
possess 4 families of transmembranary proteins:
-cadherins
-integrins
-selectins
-immunoglobulins.
Epithelial tissues
MACULA ADHERENS (DESMOSOMES)

-small disks that connect the intermediate

filaments, rich in cytokeratin, of adiacent cells
-they are disposed along the lateral cellular
regions
-the attachment plaques are rich in desmoplakin
I and II
-in the intercellular region of desmosome there
is a dense lamina containing calcium binding
proteins (desmoglein I, desmocollin I, II)
Epithelial tissues
Communicating junctions (Nexus or Gap)

- permit the diffusion of small molecules between adjacent cells

- contain a great number of transmembranary pores and 12
proteic subunits of connexin
- any alteration of connexins will change the cellular activity
Epithelial tissue
2. Junctional complexes of the basal domain

-focal adhesions
-connect the actin filaments to the basement membrane
-facilitate the epithelial mobility
-controls the stimulus modulation
-contains a family of transmembranary proteins, integrins

-hemidesmosomes
-connect the intermediate filaments to basement membrane
-are extremely resistent
-contain desmoplakin-like proteins
Epithelial tissues
HEMIDESMOSOMES

-are placed between basal plasmalemma

and the basal lamina
-they have the features of a half desmosome
-anchoring glycoproteins link the intermediate
keratine filaments to the extracellular matrix
-acting like laminin receptors, these glycoproteins
bind to laminin from the basal lamina
Epithelial tissue
Types of epithelial tissues

a. Covering (surface)epithelium
b. Secretory(glandular)epithelium
c. Sensorial epithelium

a. SURFACE epithelium

Classification criteria

1. the shape of the epithelial cell

2. the number of cell layers
3. the presence or the absence of apical specializations
Epithelial tissue
Apical specializations

-microvilli (digitiform cytoplasmic projections with

central actin filaments)
-form striated border in small intestine
-form brush border in renal proximal convoluted tube

-cillia (thin prolonged unique/multiple structures)

- moble (kinetocilia)-respiratory tract, uterine tube
-imobile(sensorial)-olphactory epithelium, where act
as chemoreceptors, or tubular renal cells, where act
as mechanoreceptors
Epithelial tissue
-stereocillia- in fact they are long microvili
-located in epididymis, proximal segment of deferens
duct, internal ear

-plasma membrane plaques

-rigid and thick in the superficial layer of the
urothelium
-appear as fusiform vesicles in nondistended urinary
bladder
Epithelial tissues
Shape of cells
Epithelial tissues
Number of cellular rows
Epithelial tissue
Number of cell layers

Simple squamous epithelial tissue

-a single layer of flattened cells , with a central

flattened nucleus and sparse cytoplasm
-the simplest type of epithelia
Localization –endothelium
-mesothelium
-lining of the heart
-parietal layer of Bowman capsule
-rete testis
-pulmonary alveols
Epithelial tissue
Simple cuboidal epithelium
-a single layer of cuboidal cells with a central
round nucleus
-localization -thyroid follicles
-renal tubules
-ovary surface
glandular ducts and secretory segment

Simple columnar epithelium

-a single layer of tall cells with a round or oval
Nuclei
-localization –stomach
-small and large intestin
-gall bladder and ducts of exocrine
glands
-uterine tubes
-small bronchi
Epithelial tissue
Simple columnar epithelium can present apical specializations

Cilliated epithelium Simple columnar with goblet cells

Uterine tube intestin

Brush border simple columnar epithelium

(renal proximal convoluted tube)
Epithelial tissue
Simple columnar epithelium without
apical specializations
Stomach

Pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium

Localization auditory tube
-nasopharynx
-trachea, bronchi
-deferens duct, epididymis
Epithelial tissue
Stratified epithelia-2 or more layers of cells
The cells from supperficial layer give the name of epithelia

Stratified cuboidal epithelia

Localization –excretory ducts of sweat glands
-other glandular excretory ducts

Stratified columnat epithelia

Localization –large excretory ducts
-urethral posterior segment
-eyelid
Epithelial tissue
Stratifies squamous epithelia- 2 types

Non keratinising(Without keratine)

Localization –oral cavity, esophagus, epiglottis
-vagina
-anal canal
-final urethral segment

Stratified squamous epithelia with keratine

Localization –epidermis
-gingival mucosa
Epithelial tissue
Nonkeratinizing stratified squamous epithelia
contains the following layers

-stratum basal(germinative)
disposed on the basement membrane, with
columnar or cuboidal cells , mitotically active.
These cells replace the altered surface cells.

-stratum spinosum
a number of layers of polyhedral cells joined by
desmosomal connection, which determine the
Attachment of a great number of tonofilaments

-stratum superficial, formed by distinct squamous

cells, which give the name of this epithelium.
Epithelial tissue
Keratinizing squamous stratified epithelia
contains the following layers:
-stratum basalis
-stratum spinosum
Both layers resemble to the similar layers from
nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelia
-stratum granulosum
a number of 3-5 layers of cells which will
evoluate to keratinocytes, filled with keratohyalin
granules
-stratum lucidum
2-3 layers of keratinocytes which become anucleated, rich in tonofilaments
-stratum corneum
Contains flattened anucleated cells rich in keratine filaments which will be disposed
on the epithelial surface.
 Epithelial tissue
Urothelium (transitional epithelium)

-specific for ureters, urinary bladder(distensible

organs)
- basal cells are cuboidal
-surface cells dome shaped or squamous,
depending on the degree of stretch of the
urinary bladder
-the intermediate layers contain polyhedral cells
-basal layer of cunboidal celss
-facilitates the distension of the renal excretory
system and also of the urinary bladder